يرى شريف عابدين المشرف العام على الكرة بنادي كهرباء الإسماعيلية، أن مباراة فريقه المقبلة أمام الأهلي في الجولة العاشرة من الدوري الممتاز، مثل أي مباراة في الدوري المصري الممتاز.
ويواجه كهرباء الإسماعيلية نظيره الأهلي يوم السبت المقبل، في الجولة العاشرة من عمر مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وكان فريق كهرباء الإسماعيلية قد حقق الفوز في المباراة الماضية أمام المقاولون العرب بهدف دون رد، في الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري الممتاز.
طالع | حازم هلال يستقيل من شركة الأهلي للمنشآت الرياضية بسبب الانتخابات
وقال شريف عابدين في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: مباراة الأهلي بالنسبة لنا مثل أي مباراة وسنلعب للفوز عليه، وكهرباء الإسماعيلية يخوض كل المباريات على أنها كؤوس”.
وأضاف: “رئيس النادي قال للاعبي الفريق -العبوا أمام الأهلي عشان تنبسطوا-، ولدينا لاعبين أصحاب خبرات مثل عمر السعيد وأوناجم وقادرين على الفوز أمام الأهلي”.
وتابع: “لا توجد أي مكافآت خاصة للاعبين حال الفوز على الأهلي، ورئيس النادي دائمًا ما يحفظ حقوق اللاعبين بصرف النظر عن أي مباراة”.
وعن مستقبل رضا شحاتة المدير الفني للفريق حال الخسارة أمام الأهلي، أكد: “مستمر مع الفريق بصرف النظر عن نتيجة مباراة الأهلي، ولم نتطرق للحديث عن أي شيء بشأن مستقبله”.
In a major boost in pursuit of yet another addition, one Glasgow Rangers target now reportedly wants to complete a summer switch to Ibrox as the 49ers continue negotiations.
Rangers gearing up for crucial UCL second leg after Ibrox win
It’s an important week for Rangers and the most important of Russell Martin’s tenure so far. The Gers travel to Greek side Panathinaikos in hope of sealing their victory in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. With a 2-0 lead to defend, the Scottish Premiership giants already hold a key advantage, but will be wary of preventing any dramatic comebacks.
Of course, if the Greek side square up against the Rangers side that were just held to a 2-2 draw by Championship side Middlesbrough in a pre-season friendly, then the Gers could certainly be in for a few twists and turns.
Left frustrated by the result, Martin told reporters: “The first half was a bit frustrating because we’re playing a good team. They’re athletic, they pressed really aggressively, but a lot of the moments that were uncomfortable for us were down to a lack of intensity on our part.
“And I said to the guys, I didn’t like the warm-up, there’s a bit of disappointment in a few people, maybe not in the team and all that stuff.
Southampton managerRussellMartinreacts
“But, if you’re disappointed and especially playing for this football club, you have to show it in being more aggressive and more intense, not being downbeat and sort of just being out there and letting the game pass you by a little bit. So they know that now. That can’t happen.”
The more that the former Southampton boss sees his side in action, the more he will learn and that has seemingly seen him turn his attention towards the likes of Abu Kamara and one other potential addition.
Rak-Sakyi now wants Rangers move
As reported by The Sun and relayed by Ibrox News, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi now wants to complete a summer switch to Rangers as the 49ers continue to negotiate a deal which could cost as much as £10m with Crystal Palace.
The talented winger spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and impressed many as he scored seven goals and assisted another two for the Blades. Even after impressing in England’s second division, however, the 22-year-old’s place in Oliver Glasner’s plans is far from guaranteed, and he has now set his sights on Ibrox as a result.
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Dubbed “fearless” by Crystal Palace fan account HLTCO, Rak-Sakyi would be following the likes of Thelo Aasgaard, Emmanuel Fernandes, Djeidi Gassama and Joe Rothwell on the list of players to swap English football for Martin’s Rangers side if he completes a move in the coming weeks.
The Gers have so far enjoyed an impressive overhaul, with the 49ers looking to make an instant statement, and the arrival of the Crystal Palace gem would only add to that.
يبدو أن نادي تشيلسي الإنجليزي على موعد مع عقوبات جديدة بسبب ما أخلفته الإدارة السابقة للنادي برئاسة رجل الأعمال الروسي رومان أبراموفيتش.
وقام الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم بتوجيه 74 تهمة إلى نادي تشيلسي تتعلق بانتهاكات لقواعد وكلاء اللاعبين.
وقال الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم إن السلوك الذي تتعلق به الاتهامات يمتد تحديدًا إلى الفترة بين عامي 2009 و2022، ويتعلق في المقام الأول بالأحداث التي وقعت بين موسمي 2010-2011 و2015-2016.
وقال الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم “بريميرليج” إن تشيلسي لديه مهلة حتى 19 سبتمبر للرد على الاتهامات، كل ذلك وفقًا لشبكة ESPN البريطانية.
وأصدر تشيلسي بيانًا قال فيه: “إن النادي يسعده أن يؤكد على مشاركته مع الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم بشأن المسائل التي أبلغ عنها النادي بنفسه قد وصلت الآن إلى نهايتها”.
اقرأ أيضًا | بعد تتويجه بجائزة جديدة.. ديمبلي يوضح الفارق بين نسخته مع برشلونة والحالية في باريس
وأضاف البيان: “أكملت المجموعة المالكة حاليًا شراء النادي في 30 مايو 2022، أثناء عملية العناية الواجبة الشاملة التي سبقت إتمام عملية الشراء، أصبحت مجموعة الملكية على دراية بإمكانية وجود تقارير مالية غير كاملة فيما يتعلق بالمعاملات التاريخية وغيرها من الانتهاكات المحتملة لقواعد الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم”.
وأردف: “وبعد إتمام عملية الشراء مباشرة، قام النادي بإبلاغ هذه الأمور إلى جميع الجهات التنظيمية ذات الصلة، بما في ذلك الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم”.
وأكمل: “لقد أظهر النادي شفافية غير مسبوقة خلال هذه العملية، من خلال منح الوصول الشامل إلى ملفات النادي والبيانات التاريخية”.
وأتم: “سنواصل العمل مع الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم لإنهاء هذه القضية في أسرع وقت ممكن، نود أن نسجل امتناننا للاتحاد الإنجليزي لتعاونه مع النادي في هذه القضية المعقدة، والتي ركزت على مسائل وقعت قبل أكثر من عقد من الزمان”.
Leeds United are now considering a fresh transfer bid to sign their top forward target, according to a new report.
Leeds chasing multiple transfer targets
The Whites confirmed their second signing of the summer transfer window on Monday, as Jaka Bijol has now signed a five-year deal to keep him at the club until 2030. But the Championship title winners are not wasting any time in identifying their next moves.
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According to a recent report from Give Me Sport, Leeds are preparing a bid to sign Valentin Atangana from Reims. The 19-year-old is said to be available for an affordable price given the French side were relegated last season, but the Whites are not alone in their pursuit, as many other Premier League teams are also chasing his signature.
Meanwhile, Leeds have also received a boost in their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, as Southampton owner Dragan Solak has revealed that Aaron Ramsdale could leave the Saints this summer.
“We unfortunately are not sure that Ramsdale is going to stay, even though he loves the club. He’s a great young man; everybody loves him, but he wants to get his place in the national team, and it’s not easy to get there in the Championship.”
Leeds readying fresh Muniz bid
Strengthening up front is a major priority for Daniel Farke, and according to Football Insider, Leeds are now preparing to make a new offer to sign Rodrigo Muniz from Fulham.
Leeds are desperate to add Muniz to their squad and have already seen a bid of £26 million plus £6 million in add-ons, which totals £32 million rejected in this transfer window.
Muniz is considered a top striker target for the Whites, but despite his contract ending in 2026, Fulham do have an option to extend that by 12 months, meaning they hold all the cards at the moment. It doesn’t state how much Leeds are willing to bid in their next offer, but Fulham are said to be confident of pricing them out, so it would almost certainly have to surpass their current record signing of £35.5m on Georginio Rutter.
Apps
57
Goals
17
Assists
2
Muniz, who has been described as “strong” by Alan Shearer, joined Fulham in 2021 but has had to remain very patient for a chance at Craven Cottage. After spending time on loan at Middlesbrough in the 2022/23 season, he has become a regular under Marco Silva.
The forward played 26 games in the Premier League during the 2023/24 season, during which he scored nine goals, and he then bettered that with 31 Premier League games last season, scoring eight goals in the process. Muniz has that proven Premier League experience that Leeds and Farke are looking for; it just remains a question of how much Leeds are willing to spend to get their man.
Both Birmingham City and Wrexham will be attempting to unsettle the Championship after promotion, knowing full well that they have immense pulling power as teams on the rise.
After all, Chris Davies’ runaway League One champions didn’t just win Jay Stansfield by chance, with St. Andrew’s a glamorous location to now ply your trade courtesy of Tom Wagner’s mega millions boosting the once downtrodden giants.
Therefore, if they were able to tempt their top scorer down to the third tier, it’s amazing to contemplate what other earth-shattering signings they could now get in through the door.
The Blues are certainly dominating a lot of EFL conversation this summer with who they’re being linked with, with this dream XI below surely the best plausible lineup Davies could call upon when the excitement of Championship action gets underway.
1 GK – Mark Travers
Firstly, Birmingham might well believe they need to improve in-between the sticks when adjusting back up to the second tier.
Their usual number one goalkeeper Ryan Allsop only shipped 26 goals in league action last season, but if they were able to land Mark Travers – following links to the Bournemouth man – he would surely get the first-team nod over the recent promotion winner.
Sheffield United's Callum O'Hare in action with Middlesbrough's MarkTravers
After all, Travers has significant experience in the Championship on his side with 76 career games at the level under his belt. To add to that, he has also kept a respectable 26 clean sheets along the way.
2 RB – Ethan Laird
Birmingham City's Ethan Laird in action with Newcastle United'sMattTargett
Whilst there could be some change in goal, Ethan Laird will be hopeful that his secure first-team spot at right-back remains set in stone for the jump up.
The ex-Manchester United full-back was as much of an attacking menace for the Blues last season as he was a defensive warrior, as seen in his impressive five goals and four assists in league action, on top of also winning a high 6.4 duels on average per contest.
3 CB – Ben Davies
The second signing Birmingham could make is to bring loan hero Ben Davies back permanently after he was a defensive colossus all of last campaign, away from parent employers Rangers.
Davies would strike up a fine partnership with Christoph Klarer – as seen in the pair tallying up a mammoth 38 clean sheets between them – with the Blues boss hopeful that the experienced 29-year-old can look as assured in the league above if he remains put.
4 CB – Christoph Klarer
The aforementioned Klarer would love to line up alongside his ex-Preston North End teammate once more, having been near faultless next to the 6-foot-1 enforcer at the top end of League One.
The dominant Austrian is also very deserving of his plaudits, considering he managed to register seven big chances created playing out from the back, away from just merely putting his equally towering frame to good use.
5 LB – Alex Cochrane
Making up the final component of the imposing back four is former Hearts man Alex Cochrane.
Much like his partner in crime down the right, Cochrane has been able to show off his ability to create chances galore throughout the League One season, culminating in him creating a sizeable nine big chances from 42 overall clashes.
To cap off his sterling individual campaign, the 25-year-old also bagged this beauty against Stevenage in April.
6 CM – Tomoki Iwata
Wreham's Elliot Lee in action with Birmingham City'sTomokiIwata.
Heading into the midfield areas and Tomoki Iwata will be keen to prove himself as a Championship-ready talent after some stylish showings in the third tier.
Iwata would go on to be an absolute steal from Celtic when joining for around £the £800k mark, considering the Japanese midfielder would round off his first-ever EFL adventure with eight goals and two assists next to his name.
7 CM – Kanya Fuijmoto
Kanya Fujimoto in action for Gil Vicente.
Iwata might well be joined by a new teammate centrally, however, as Birmingham continue to be linked with a switch for Gil Vicente ace Kanya Fujimoto.
The newly promoted side must be holding out hope that Fujimoto can be Iwata 2.0 on his potential St. Andrew’s arrival, with the 28-year-old’s compatriot proving himself to be as slick as the Blues number 24 playing out in Portugal.
Whilst he is comfortable slotting in as a number ten – as seen in his five goals and five assists in league action last season – Fujimoto can also line up as a traditional central midfield option, meaning he could partner Iwata very soon in England.
8 RM – Kwame Poku
Kwame Poku for Peteborough.
Birmingham won’t be content with just three new purchases ahead of Championship football triumphantly returning with a fourth potentially in the offing with Kwame Poku, amid reports that an offer has been made to the Peterborough star.
It’s been a drawn-out saga this summer already involving Poku and Davies’ side, but if Birmingham are finally successful in landing the tricky Ghanaian’s services over a crazy 25 other suitors, he would slot into the team effortlessly down the right wing.
24/25
31
12
11
23/24
47
12
8
22/23
45
5
9
21/22
23
0
2
Posh manager Darren Ferguson would hail Poku as “unplayable” just this season gone, and when taking his consistent brilliance above, it’s clear to see why, with a ridiculous 23 goal contributions notched up across a memorable 2024/25.
Surely, he’s now ready for the challenge of affirming himself as an EFL superstar even more in the West Midlands.
9 CAM – Jay Stansfield
Stansfield is arguably another big name when it comes to the EFL, with Birmingham fans head over heels for the former Fulham forward.
He would end his own distinguished 2024/25 campaign by firing home 19 league strikes, meaning he could absolutely terrorise Championship defences when partnered with Poku.
10 LM – Keshi Anderson
Whilst the likes of Stansfield stole most of the limelight during Birmingham’s smooth title success, Keshi Anderson also regularly put in fine performances as a more seasoned head of the group.
In all competitions, the pacey left winger would tally up a hefty nine goals and eight assists, with Davies confident now that the experienced attacker can come good in the second tier, having played here previously and somewhat struggled with ex-employers Blackpool.
Regardless of how Tottenham Hotspur fare in the Europa League Final later this month, this summer has to be one of significant change at the club.
To ensure next season isn’t as much of a disaster as this one has been, Daniel Levy and Co need to dig deep and bring in some genuine quality to improve the first team.
However, signing a load of talented players won’t be enough on its own.
On top of adding to the first team and squad, the North Londoners need to get rid of several players, including one who is being eyed up by one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The players Spurs should sell
Unfortunately, due to the nature of their campaign this season, there are several players Spurs should probably be looking to move on in the summer, such as Richarlison and Yves Bissouma.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has never got even close to justifying the £60m fee he cost the club in 2022, and while there have been the odd moments he’s looked good this year, a return of five goals and two assists just isn’t good enough.
Likewise, Bissouma might occasionally put in a performance that reminds fans why the club signed him in the first place.
Tottenham Hotspur's YvesBissoumareacts after being substituted
Still, there have been far too many games this season in which he’s looked entirely out of his depth, like away to Fulham, when he was hooked at half-time and given a 3/10 match rating by Alasdair Gold.
However, there is another player, one who is actually incredibly talented, who is being eyed by a major European force that the North Londoners should cash in on: Cristian Romero.
Yes, according to a recent report from the Sun, Real Madrid are now sniffing around the World Cup winner once again.
The report has revealed that incoming manager Xabi Alonso is a big fan of the Argentine, and with their defence considered to be their weakest area, the Spanish giants could make a move to sign the former Juventus ace.
The report does not mention a potential price, but according to stories from earlier this month, Spurs value their defender at £60m, a fee think they should accept for him.
Why Spurs should sell Romero
Okay, so the first thing to say is that we do not think Romero is a bad defender, far from it.
TottenhamHotspur's CristianRomeroreacts
However, there are a few genuine reasons as to why it might be smart for Spurs to sell the World Cup winner this summer, with chief among them being his desire.
While there can be no doubt about his intense need to win when it comes to the big games – just look at his performance against Bodo/Glimt – there have been questions over his commitment to the club for some time now.
For example, only last week, a new report from GIVEMESPORT revealed that he is planning to push for a move to La Liga this summer regardless of what happens in the Europa League, and then last month, other reports claimed he had already held discussions with Diego Simeone over a potential move to Atlético Madrid.
Combine this desire to leave with the fact he’s got just two years left on his £165k-per-week deal, and it seems like cashing in on him now before he can drive the price down further seems smart.
Appearances
123
Goals
7
Assists
3
Yellow Cards
33
Second Yellows
3
Red Cards
1
Points per Game
1.68
Moreover, due to injury, the 27-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, hasn’t featured that much this season anyway, making just 25 appearances across all competitions and averaging just 1.56 points per game when he has played.
Finally, it looks as if the club would be able to replace him anyway, as they could either go back in for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi or even hand a considerable amount of game time to the incredibly exciting Luka Vušković, who respected analyst Ben Mattinson described as a “crazy” talent and a “monster of a CB.”
Ultimately, it’s not an ideal situation – far from it – but to make sure they aren’t left burned next year and to give themselves ample time to replace him, Spurs should look to sell Romero this summer.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers are on a four-match winning run in the Premier League, and they will hope to continue this when they face Manchester United this afternoon.
The Old Gold defeated the Old Trafford side 2-0 at the end of December to maintain their perfect start under Vitor Pereira, and hopes will be high that they can complete the double over the Red Devils.
Man United were taken to extra time by Lyon in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday evening and there will be a few tired legs among the squad.
This could give Wolves the advantage, while Pereira may make a few changes of his own ahead of the clash.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde played against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he will return to the starting XI after suffering a minor injury.
Why Pereira must axe Bellegarde for Man Utd trip
Bellegarde played 42 minutes last week against Spurs before being subbed off due to injury.
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While on the field, the attacking midfielder completed just six passes, failed with his only dribble attempt, lost possession six times and was dribbled past once.
He has been a solid signing for the Old Gold, that much is certain. Given the nature of the game, however, plus the fact that Matheus Cunha is ready to make his first start following his four-match suspension, it makes sense to bring the Brazilian back into the starting XI.
This would see Bellegarde drop to the bench. That is if he is fit enough to make the matchday squad in the first place.
How Pereira can replace Bellegarde vs Man Utd
Cunha has a decent record against Man United since joining Wolves, scoring once and grabbing two assists across four games.
His goal came in the famous 2-0 win last December, and it proved that Cunha was capable of scoring in the biggest games.
Matheus Cunha’s PL stats for Wolves since August 2023
Metric
2023/24
2024/25
Goals
12
14
Assists
7
4
Key passes per game
0.9
1.7
Big chances created
7
12
Successful dribbles per game
2
1.9
Via Sofascore
The £90k-per-week forward has been in sublime form for Wolves this season. A total of 16 goals and four assists have been registered by the former Atletico Madrid star, and he has arguably single-handedly kept the club floating above the relegation zone.
When compared to his positional peers in the top flight, Cunha ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals (0.58) per 90, while also ranking in the top 17% for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 for the Old Gold this term.
Hailed as “unbelievable” by current teammate Mario Lemina earlier this season, Cunha might well be heading into his final few weeks as a Wolves player.
Cunha has sparked plenty of controversy in recent weeks, notably when hitting out at Wolves’ fans on social media who have criticised his attitude and commitment to the club.
Should a big offer arrive in the summer, it is likely he will be sold, giving Pereira plenty of cash to spend. The club might not have a player of his quality for quite some time, and he could shine against the Red Devils this afternoon.
Pereira's "sensational" Wolves star is now slowly becoming the new O’Hara
Wolves “sensational” star in danger of becoming new Jamie O’Hara
Bumrah could have been the difference, but he wasn’t in the end. Instead, it was in the lengths and the Pujara model that the series was won and lost
Sidharth Monga11-Jan-2025High seam and low bounce proved to be the ideal combination for India in Perth. They could stick to bowling their 6-8-metre good length and still hit the stumps with it. Australia went with their traditional 5-7-metre good-length band, getting driven and then going too short in reaction. Even though Australia bowled India out for 150 on the first morning, they bowled 35 balls fuller than the 5-metre mark, conceding 20% of that total.Either India learned from what they watched or they just stuck to their natural good lengths, which turned out to be the best for these conditions. Australia were at the stumps less frequently than once in two overs; India attacked the wicket once every over. Eight of the 18 wickets India’s fast bowlers took were either bowled or lbw.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
Excessive seam movement remained a feature of the series. Jasprit Bumrah drew an average movement of 0.9 degrees in the first innings in Perth. The most he had ever extracted was 1.1 degrees in Christchurch in 2020, and he matched that in Sydney – the one other Test where India threatened to beat Australia, even securing a first-innings lead, but ran out of fast-bowling options when conservative selection and the injury to Bumrah combined to set them back.Nathan Lyon was called upon to bowl just 122.4 overs, the fewest he has done in a home series in which he has played more than three Tests.It pays to defend like Cheteshwar Pujara in Australia. The argument these days is that bowling hardly gets easier, so it’s better to play your shots before the eventual delivery with your name on it. In Australia, though, the current Kookaburra moves extravagantly when it’s new, and then settles down considerably once it becomes soft.Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne decided to play that Pujara role for Australia. In two of the three first innings where he entered after 30 overs, Travis Head scored centuries. Not just any centuries, but quick ones that deflated India.This is not to absolve Rishabh Pant of the responsibility of fighting the movement – which he tried to do as it shows in his leaves percentage and his strike rate – but, as a team, India would have been better placed if attacking batters had more suitable points of entry.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
Australia still got Sam Konstas in and empowered him to play like England do. Having lost eight wickets at 6.5 to Bumrah with the new ball, they were probably desperate to take some chances against him because, really, how much worse could it get?The result was the earliest attempt at a reverse scoop in a Test, and a 65-ball innings with 28 false shots amounting to the second-lowest control in a half-century in Tests since 2015, behind Tim Southee.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
Konstas made India bowl too full for 90 minutes, but India’s lengths were good in the rest of the series. Their fast bowlers remained in the 5-8-metre band 56% of the time as opposed to Australia’s 51, but bowlers other than Bumrah struggled to get results from there. Take out Bumrah, and India’s other quicks bowled 52% of their deliveries in the 5-8-metre band for 16 wickets at 36.25. Australia took 38 wickets at 24.71. Bumrah 20 at 11.7.The inability of Indian bowlers other than Bumrah to take wickets cheaply enough from the business area was a big point of difference between the two teams. There could be various factors behind it. Akash Deep’s lines were not great with the new ball in Brisbane. In the middle three Tests, perhaps the taller bowlers drew more out of the pitch. Perhaps India’s fast bowlers didn’t enjoy great luck.India were actually a little unlucky in Melbourne and Adelaide. Konstas survived that first session in Melbourne after which batting generally became easier. In the day-night Test, both sides played an equal number of false shots, but India were bowled out twice and Australia only once. Through the series, Akash Deep drew false shots 30% of the time for just four wickets at 54. But, then again, India were really lucky in Brisbane with the rain.The short ball was another point of difference between the sides. Both the sides competed on even terms till the 40th over of the innings on average. The India bowlers swung the ball more, matched Australia on extracting seam – Bumrah might have actually seamed it more than the home seamers – but Australia pulled away in the next 40 when the ball grew old and there was less assistance from the surface.Even though Australia themselves played just four bowlers in the first four Tests, they had more quality and experience among their four frontline bowlers.Australia took ten wickets with the bouncer against India’s one. Most of these were timely strikes: Yashasvi Jaiswal in Melbourne, Pant in Adelaide, Ravindra Jadeja in Brisbane. Leading from the front was Pat Cummins, sending down 146 bouncers for nine of his 25 wickets.India didn’t have any such threat with the old ball when Head and Steven Smith made merry.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
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Australia really do know how to play the day-night Test. They snuck in four wickets with really full deliveries and bounced out five batters, while India stuck to the good lengths for little reward. It seems Australia wanted to maximise the extra bounce and pace available with the pink ball even though the ball seamed the least in Adelaide.
Luck Index puts a value to each of the chances and how they affected the result
S Rajesh01-Sep-2022Kusal Mendis was the hero of the run-chase for Sri Lanka with a 37-ball 60, but he could have been dismissed a lot earlier had it not been for huge slice of luck going his way. Mendis had four clear chances, and thanks to ESPNcricinfo’s Luck Index, we can quantify the impact of those chances, in terms of the runs they cost Bangladesh.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe most expensive of those lives was the first one, which came in the second over of the innings, when Mendis had scored just 2 off 3 balls. Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a tough catch off Taskin Ahmed, and according to Luck Index, it cost them a whopping 37 runs. In short, had that chance been taken, Bangladesh would have almost certainly won the game.Bangladesh had three other opportunities to dismiss Mendis, but failed each time. In the seventh over, he was caught-behind off a no-ball when on 29 off 16. That cost Bangladesh 10 runs, while the non-review of a caught-behind (which was called a wide) cost them seven runs.
These values are calculated through a complex algorithm which assumes that the batter would have been dismissed off the ball he survived, and simulates the rest of the innings by allocating the extra balls played by that batter to the others who were either unbeaten or didn’t bat in the innings.In this case, since Sri Lanka lost eight wickets in chasing down the target, there were only three batters to whom those extra deliveries could be allocated – Maheesh Theekshana and Asitha Fernando, who were unbeaten, and Dilshan Madushanka, who didn’t bat. Given that they are all lower-order batters, the algorithm suggests that Sri Lanka would have been bowled out had Mushfiqur taken that chance to dismiss Mendis early, and they would have only scored 21 runs off the 34 extra deliveries, instead of the 58 that Mendis ended up scoring.Mendis did eventually fall to a terrific catch by Taskin, but the extra runs he scored almost certainly cost Bangladesh the game.
Strong on paper, started with a bang, lost their way… but all it takes to win a final is one player’s brilliance, and they have plenty who could deliver that
Karthik Krishnaswamy09-Nov-20203:55
Aakash Chopra: Ashwin in the powerplay will be key to Capitals’ success
Expectations, reality. You know the meme format, but how do you apply it to the Delhi Capitals’ season?Before IPL 2020 began, a number of experts counted the Capitals among their pre-season favourites. “If this team plays to its full potential,” Aakash Chopra wrote on this website, “they have a real chance of winning their first ever IPL title.””It’s the team with the least number of weaknesses, it’s the team with options for all conditions,” Sanjay Manjrekar said while previewing the Capitals’ season-opener, also on this website. “Very exciting personnel that they’ve got together.”The Capitals finished in the top two on the league table, and they’ve now reached their maiden final, but the expectations-reality equation hasn’t been straightforward. Where the Mumbai Indians never looked in doubt of getting to the final, the Capitals are perhaps lucky to have made it this far, having won only two of their last seven games. But they’re in the final, and have history in their sights. How do you begin to make sense of it all?The Delhi Capitals’ line-up boasts plenty of individual brilliance•BCCIShaw and Pant misfire At the start of the tournament, the Capitals seemed to have one of the best top orders in the competition. Three explosive boundary-hitters in Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer, an anchor in Shreyas Iyer, and, in Shikhar Dhawan, an experienced opener who had upped his T20 game, shrugging off a tendency for slow starts and lifting his powerplay strike rate into the 140s in the 2019 season.If its parts could fit smoothly together, this was a top order capable of inflicting serious damage, as the Capitals showed while posting what remains IPL 2020’s biggest total, against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah.That game, however, has been the exception rather than the rule, and the Capitals’ batting line-up has often had a dysfunctional look to it, thanks largely to two key components misfiring.Three highly promising young batsmen have suffered dips in form at the same time•ESPNcricinfo LtdShaw has gone through a horror run at the top – he has a top score of 10 in his last seven innings – and Pant, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, but which perhaps have something to do with not having played any cricket for half the year thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been a pale shadow of his usual self in the middle order. Iyer’s form hasn’t deviated too far from the mean, but with Shaw and Pant dropping well below their best, his inability to force the pace through the middle overs has stood out more starkly than it otherwise would have.The struggles of Shaw, Pant and Iyer have left the Capitals’ line-up looking structurally unsound, and when their in-form players have failed – such as when Dhawan, their top run-getter so far, made three ducks in the space of four innings – the others haven’t stepped up to compensate.Tactical tic-tac-toe The batting issues have been compounded by a lack of options on the bench. When an injured Pant missed three games in the middle of the season, the Capitals didn’t just have to replace him but also Hetmyer, for no fault of his, simply because the only other wicketkeeper in the squad was the Australian Alex Carey.Ajinkya Rahane has been the Capitals’ main back-up batsman, but he’s another anchor, and not quite the solution that Shaw’s lean run called for. He’s also played in the same XI as Shaw on occasion, when the Capitals have left Hetmyer out to play an extra overseas bowler, but that’s only compromised their power through the middle and late overs.Stoinis steps up The Capitals’ batting woes could have potentially cost them a playoffs spot if not for Marcus Stoinis. Their opening game was portentous: they were 86 for 4 in 14 overs when Stoinis walked in, and he walloped 53 off 21 to haul them to a defendable total. And he also bowled the final over to take the game to a Super Over, somehow going dot, wicket, wicket when the Kings XI Punjab needed one off the last three balls.Where would the Capitals be without Marcus Stoinis’ runs and wickets?•ESPNcricinfo LtdSince then he’s scored two more half-centuries, and bowled at difficult times to help shield the Capitals’ fingerspinners from unfavourable match-ups.And in the second Qualifier against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Capitals moved Stoinis up to open alongside Dhawan, using him in the role he’s had most of his recent success in, and the move brought them their best powerplay score of the tournament. With Hetmyer also back in the fold and contributing a late cameo, the Capitals’ batting seemed at its healthiest in a long time.How good have the Capitals bowlers been, really? Best economy rate at the death, second-best economy rate in the powerplay, and the best overall economy rate and average of any bowling team in the tournament.The above facts were true on October 17, when the Capitals had played nine games and won seven of them.The Capitals’ bowling returns have nosedived over the second half of the season•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt’s a good time to insert a “stop the count” joke, because the Capitals, since then, have the third-worst economy rates in both the powerplay and the death overs, the worst middle-overs economy rate, and the worst economy rate and second-worst average overall.It’s not like they’ve undergone massive personnel changes between the two halves of the tournament, so how do you even begin to explain these numbers? Maybe you don’t. Maybe it’s all about the unreliability of small sample sizes. Maybe it’s a case of the Capitals’ attack regressing to the mean.So what now?To put it simply, the Capitals have been less than the sum of their parts through the season, but look at the parts themselves. If they go into the final with the same line-up that defeated the Sunrisers on Sunday, it’ll include Dhawan, Stoinis, Iyer, Pant, Hetmyer, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. They were quality players before the tournament began, and they remain quality players even if they’ve ridden a collective rollercoaster of form in between.In what has possibly been the most tightly contested IPL ever, it’s probably all this individual quality that’s carried the Capitals into the final. Mumbai, their opponents, are one of the great T20 teams, boasting not just individual quality but also role clarity from No. 1 to No. 11. That sort of role clarity comes from the same core group of players competing together season after season, and winning titles season after season. That role clarity is probably what makes a team stand out in the long run, but it’s no guarantee of winning a one-off contest, where individual quality is often enough.The Capitals are an imperfect team entering the final lap of an imperfect campaign. One good day, and all else will be forgotten.